Improved ditching-machine



at am j Be it known that IgJosErirA; PARSONS, of Clevet land, inl the county ot.- Cuyahoga andin the State'of t Ohio, have invented: certain `newrand useful Improvet ments tin*DitchingfMachines and. do yhereby declare t that the following isafull, cleaiyandexact description 'ingfmaking a part ofthisspeciiicatiou, in which- "gare lis asideelevationof my device, with the nearesttractionlwheelremovedgand with a portion of Tth'e nicarcstlilange of the excavationfwheelbroken out figure 2gis a top plan viewlo'fmy device i l ligure `is atrear elcvationgofthe excavator', below `is a `side elevatioii-` of the excavator;

,` )Figure r t t `thelihexjayrs'ofiig.3; t.; c l

-'Eigure.-5 a`sideelevatioirof thefrontcolter;

-F'gurc' 6 isa frontelevationof thesame; i gul-e7 l is `a frontlelelvation of thelfadjustable side lowshai'egf 1 C i .t i Y F'gure -8 is a `side. elevation ofthe rear colter; `Fignreji) isa rear elevation `of the same and i ,Iigurelgl() is afront elevation of? thetrimining-wheel and/the arm upon; which itispivoted.Y l i i tgLikeletters of like kiiidfilenote like parts in each 1figureri ji-1H; i, C 1 t i fMy d vice -relatesl to a ditching-machiue, mainly for i thefn k'ngfof drainage ditches, in which tile may be :b laid constructed in su'cha manner that the earth eX-.` .cas ated'niay be raised bymeans ofthe rotation of a` .twheel, and.depositedaip'on` oneside of the cut,and so that the driver may readily and easily adjust the depth `of thecuttto-g the ineqnalitiesfoffthe ground; and .i The inventionl consists in `the means employed `for `consistingof a large central wheel of novelconstruct Qtion ;'j in the' devices for excai-'atioru consist-ing of a novel` excavatoxyassistedby a certain ;plowsl1a1e, by two colulating the depth` ofthe cut; in-,the devices for regnof the cutting; f in. a shield over the excavation-wheel, andthe devices for its adjustment ,in 'the devices by i whiehrthe excavation-wheel isvcrtcally and automatl `icallyadj hstable; in the novel construction and arrangementofthe axle-frames `ofthe machine; andin the i coinbinationland arrangement ofthe various operative t parts lof the same; .all as more fully described andset torthb'el0wgy y i `Inthe'drawing-Q i l t, t. l `Arepresents an axleathejmiddle port-ion of which is entlilntoayoke, ci, projecting from thel central laterallline to the rearof` tliefmachine. -1 i f -`g j The ltraction-.wheels turn upon -the l ends i fof this axle',and1a1e placed atsucha distancei apart as will excavation.

t thereoreference being had totheacconipanying draw-y raisiug andldischargirig the earth after its excavation,

tersand `hy"a trimming-wheel ;Ain the devices forregi `lating the vertiealdirection tot' the draft at all stages enable them to 'go clear `of the,A eartirthrown out in ofsfn 1D a` R s ou s, `o F- oL nv E .L aN D, o H to. l

i tenere Patent No. 105,364, aerea .hay 12, 1870.

IMPRovt-:D Ducarme-Macallan;

V `151e"Scheduleure'ferrped to 1in these Letters Patent and making partvof the same.

#Diagonal braces l connect the ends of the axle near v the wheels with points on the ,yoke a, near its outer `to the yoke C. i

A double frame, D, runs lengthwise ofthe machine,

having two sides parallel in every plane, and connected together near theireenters longitudinallyby a yoke,'l1l,`

gie4 ot' about forty-tiveI degrees.`

A couple of semicireular yokes, F, depend from and are attached to the lower centers of each: portion of' rising above said frame and toward'the rear,at au ant the frame 1),*a`nd yform bear-'ings ,for the axle c, which:v turns inV them, aud carries `the excavation-wheel G,

more fully described hereinafter.

The sides of the frame D, in its protraction to the l rear,arc,drawn more closely together, so as to cmbrace and hold fast au excavator-frame and shield,

more fully described hereinafter,and,in its still further protraction to the rear, embraces thestai'ldardf, for the dri'vers seat y, which standard is pivoted between the rear end sides of said frame.

The bottom `of this standard f is also 'pivoted over the rear end of the yoke (t, so'that there is a` Avertical play to said yoke a and to the axle A.

At the forward end of the'fiame D its sides are sei cured, at a proper distance apart, by a bolt, h, having screw-nuts at either end thereof, to which is also pivl oted a clevis,` H, placed between the front ends of the sides of said frame D. f

These front ends just mentioned terminate in semi-` t circular' wiugsj, provided with a series of' holes neat* their outer rims, for the purpose of receiving a bolt, lt,

which passes through said sidesaud through the clevis before named. y

The object of this bolt and the series of holes in the wings-j is to regulate the vertical position of the outer i enes ofthe elevis, as desired.

Above said .wings thesides of the frame Dbend up` ward and backward, audembrace and secure an arm, l, to which is attached the spout I, hereinafter described. i l

Thetongue J ofthe machine is provided `upon each side with plates'm, having wings v at theirinner ends,

`of a semicircular form, each of which is provided with a series of corresponding holes about itsj exterior.v i' 1 -The tongue is pivoted upon .theclevis H'by a bolt, o, passing through therouter ends of clevis, and through the plates mandithe tongue J.

Agbolt, 1),'.pa`sses thropglrthe holes mentionedlin the wings n, below the clevis H, and thus regulates the slope of' said tongue, the projecting ends of said bolt striking against the sides of the clevis, and thus preventing the tongue from dropping any further down, at the same time offering no resistance to turning the tongue upward, and bending it downward, even over the machine, so-as to be ont of the way.

The excavating-wheel G, whose diameter is nearly double that of the traction-wheels B, secured, as before mentioned, upon the axle e, which is pivoted to the yoke F, is arranged longitudinally and laterally in the center of' the machine, rotating between lthe sides of the frame D, and within the yokes a, C, and E, and

has a broad rim, to the outer edges of which are atf tached broad flanges K, extending outwardly, so as ,to leave a deep -and nearly rectilinear channel, L, on the outside, entirely around the periphery of' said wheel.

Thel outsides of these flanges are in parallel lines, but being thickest where they are joined to the rim of the wheel, and beveled on the inside, so as to form outer cuttingedges, the bottom of channel L is a little narrower than at its top. y

Ou the outside of these flanges, near the out-er edges, are secured triangular ears, the oiice of which is to hold the earth which is excavated within the channel L during the rotation of Ithe wheel G.

The spout I,`attached to the arm before inentioned, is arranged diagonally across the periphery of said wheel G, inclining downwardly, and extending a suitable distance on one side, laterally beyond said wheel, so as to deliver the earth, as it is excavated, ontside of the line lof the' ditch. A

This spout is a spiral scroll in form, having its inner end within and fitting pretty closely to the channel L, but having spaces upon the sides of that portion within said channel for the ears r to pass through.

An excavator-frame and shield, M, before mentioned, of ,which the frame is made, in two pieces,- arranged in parallel planes, encircles the outside of the rear periphery of the wheel G, and isv secured at its top and front to the outside of the top of 'the'yoke E,

Its shield is an inner plate,'s, equal in width to the channel L, curved to correspond with the periphery of the wheel G, and placed near to it, passing under the yoke E.

to said shield, which standard also passes up through l said frame M.

The lower end of theuppei' section of said frame M is secured to and within the sides of the frame D, where said section passes between, said sides, and the upper end of' the .lower section of said frame M is securedto the outside of the side pieces vof' said frame D, while the lower end of said lower section of the frame M is secured in position byaboltscrew, v, provided with screw-nuts at each end, which passes through'tfrom side to side.

The shield s before mentioned has a rib, w, upon the center of its outside, running down the same from a-point just above the' flame D to a point at or near the bolt o, where it has an offset-plate, x', extending outwardly between and beyond the sides of the' lower section of the frame M.

. This offset-plate x is serrated upon its edges, corresponding to serrations upon the loweriuner portions of the'sides of said lower section of' saidframe M.

'lhe object of' these serrations is to. adjust the position of that part of the shield s, in regard vto the channel L, by means of the screw-bolt o. c

Below said offset-plate :c' the rib w is widened cousiderably, and its lower front passes through the excavater. N, which is there pivoted to it. This excavator has a widtha little less than thatof the channel L,

This shield is adjustable `vertically at its top and. front by means of a proper screw-boltin the frame M, lwhich passes through a slotted standard, t, attached within which its cutting front is arranged very nearly in the center of' the lower periphery otf the wheel G, and is beveled upon its upper front, so as to give a cutting lateral edge, like a chisel, across its entire width.

To its rear end the excavator N has secured a lever, O, which curves backward and upward, passing between the side ofl the frame D, in the rear of the frame M, which sides have at that point a suitable rack, y, to engage said lever in various positions, and terminates in a handle in front ofthe drivers seat g.

Upon one side of the lower section of the frame M,

and between guides upon the same, is placed the colter P, of the form portrayed in figs. 8 and 9, and slotted, so as to be adjustable' vertically upon the bolt c.

Upon the outer side of said frame, and between suitable guides upon the same, is placed the side plowshare Q,'c1rrved so asto cut inwardly on its bottom, and having a sharp colter edge to out vertically', and ad'- justable vertically by means of` a slot upon its body, in connection with the bolt 1'.

Upon the front end of the frame D, and upon one ofthe vsides of the same, and within suitable guides upon the same, is placed the colter It, of the form shown in figs. 5 and 6, adjustable vertically'through a a slot upon its body,'by means of a screw-bolt, h.

- In like mannerhthe trimming-wheel S, pivoted upon a proper slotted arin, is secured to the opposite side ofthe frame D, and adjusted upon the same screwbolt h.

All the various parts of this machine are constructed of suitable metal, except the tongue and the standard to the drivers seat, which may be made of wood.

The operation of this machine, and of its several parts, is as follows:

Having attached to it aproper team,and the excavator raised so as to bring its cutting-edge within the channel of the excavating-wheel, and entirely above the ground, and the rear colter and plowshare raised in like manner, it may be drawn afield, the excavation-wheel rotating andservingfto some extent, as a traction-wheel.

The anges of this excavation-wheel will not, by their cutting into the ground, materially increase the draft upon an ordinary dirt road, and will be found in the field to assist greatly in turning the machine, acting as a pivot in that movement.

When the machine is upon the line of' the ditch desired, the driver sets the excavator to the cutting depth desired, by pushing from him the lever O, and locking it in place in the rack y, the movement of which lever operates the excavator upon its pivot and raises or depresses it. i. A

In the rotation of the excavatiou-whecl, its flanges wiilcutiuto sand or soft earth their entire depth, compressing the same somewhat in the operation, .thus making two nearly parallelvert-ical cuts directly in front vot' the excavator, which, following, raises a belt of earth of the interior lateral dimensions of the chan,- nel, in said excavation-wheel, and ofa depth equal to the distance between the outside of the rim of said wheel and the inside of the shield.

.The ears fi', upon the inside of the flanges, being wedge-shaped at their bottoms, enter easily into the earth, and being flat at their tops, and curved at their fronts, retain and hold in place the beltof earth as it is raised by theexcavator.

In the further rotation of the wheel, this belt of earth thus raised, maintaining its form substantially, is carried around said wheel, until its front enters upon the spout I, over which it passes, and is discharged upon the ground on one side, and at a. suitable distance from the ditch.

The traction-wheels, meanwhile, being far apart,

one on each side ofthe ditch, entirely avoid the same andthe earth thrown out in excavation.

i `ofto bemore easily raised.`

.4 necessary, no cut at all.

i Itwvill be found necessaryT in theexcavation of sand to take a4 more `shallow-cut, and to adjust the shield quite closely to the mouthof the channel L, so as to keeplthe sand, as it were,"boxed up during its transfer Afrom "theditch tothe' spout.; but in working in clay, the shield may be` removed a considerable dis- `tance fromlthe wheel, andthe excavator set to a corresponding depth. i i

`In `the excavation of.I sand, neither the coltergP nor -the plowsharefQ should he fused,`and" they `may be'V *raised out ofthelway. i

In working in clay,}with adeepcut, itwill be neces-v saryto use the colter P, which. cuts downandtrims. oloneside-of thegditch-aflittle,so that the. excavation-wheel willtnot bihdnorfj'a'm in its revolutiou, and

` itfalso takesa-little'deeper cut. `than the flanges of' said wheel, and causes the belt o f earth, before spokenv In work and loosens the earthtc a point below the excavator -and below the anges, and at the Sametime trims out oneside of theditch, so that the wheel may not .bind wanna.`

A Therdistance of the 'shield from the wheel is regulated by means `of the standard t, and the serrations in theloiset plate and 'the corresponding serrations upon `the insides ofthe frame M. It has `been anfobjectienable feature in ditchingmachines that the'cut hasbeen of a depth uniformly vcb'rresponding to the `surfacejof the ground, so 'that .thefbotwmf the ditch would be too deep and too U 4 shallowin places;` r l x `In my invention, the adjustabilityof the excavator being within thefconstantfcontrol of the driver, he may instantly, by meansfof the lever O, close at hand,

makejldeep or shallwcuts where needed, or, when.l

L The excavating-wheel having an automatic vertical adjustability, sinksby its own weight to the bottom of the cut,`asfthe" workprogresses, and performs its workin the same way without regard tothe vertical position "of the traction-wheels.

This veiticai adjustabilityis efiectedby the wayin which theavhe'el is `pivotedwithin theframe D, and

y within theyokes'mO, andE.V

further advantage"istfound in `the rmethod eini `ployed `in pivotingthebmain shaft of the traction'- d wheels, through the yoke a., upon .the standardf, in `the fact'. 'that` said--itraction-wheels, instead of being 'drawmyasf is usual, are impelledjforward by thepressure of said standard uponsaid yoke, andthrough said `yoke.,uporrsaid1-shaft, whereby, as the excavation- `wheel sinlcsinto` itscuu 'and the .forward'end ot' said yoke is raised above the'ihbrizontal plane of itsv rearl -endthe weight of the traction-wheels and connections is` thrown.v more and more uponxsaid standard audless upon the ground. The excavationwheel vbeing at thesametimedrawn downward to somecexi 4tent bythe traction, and pressed downward by the "Tupward inclination" ofthe forwardend of said yoke, d is pressedinto the ground with alforce much greater `than would be lderived from its gravity alone.

`In, this way,';=,the increasing pressure of the excavation-wheel as, it descends into its cut, is cont-inuf `allycounterbalancedfby-the lssening weightlupon "the-traetion-wheelsf In the operation of ditching, it is of great importance tokeep the line of draft upon a nearly horizoni tal plane, and to this end there isia'variahle adjusta- `jbility of the tongue,"so that` itmay be kept in the proper plane, however deep the cutting may be.'v i

This is effected bythe" adjustability of the clevis `within Ythe wing j, upon" thefront 4end ofl theframe p 1),and also by theadjustability of the tongue itself A l ngin gravel orvery hard earth, -it will be necessary tof4 use `theplowshare Q, which cutsinto by means of its wings n, by the action of Veither of which a considerable variation may be made in the plane of the draft, and, by the joint action of both,

all the variation required for thedeepest cut may be made.

H In meeting a stone or other rigid obstacle inditching, the tongue heilig vpivoted loosely in the clevis, the inclination of the frame D and excavating-wheel `is to pitch or incline forward, so as to raise the back "part .of said wheel, and allow the excavator to escape ,To effect this result is the purpose' of the detachable pin through Ythe wings n, below thev clevis, which `prevents the front ofthe machine from rising, but

oliers no impediment to yit-s sinking.

After a ditch has been sunk .the desired depth, it is usual to trim out one or both sides of the top, making the ditch wider in that part for the convenience `side of the ditch, whenl it has been sunk about half o f its entire depth. y

.y 'lhis colter, however, I conne to clay, sand, and such earth as is easily affected by a cuttingedge.y

Wherel theA ground is very hard or gravelly, the` trimming-wheel S should be used, `whose operation` in such places -will be found more effective and a much less hindrance to the draft.

The principal merits of my machine maybe found in the simplicity and effectiveness by which thecutting, raising, and discharging of the earth are accomplished,i|1 the readiness with which the devices for these objects ma'y be adj usted, in the great strength :and comparative lightness of the whole apparatus, and in the ease with which it can be drawn and o perated while performing its work. i y Having Athus fully set forth the nature, method of operation, and merits of my machine, What I claim as my inventiontherein isl. The 'excavator-wheel G, providedrwith anges K, with the channel L,with the ears fr, constructed substantially. as described and shown, andarrjanged `A to operate as and for the purpose set forth. i y

2. The pivoted` excavator N, provided withl the lever 0, constructed substantially` as described and shown, and arranged to operate as andfor thepurpose set forth. v f v 3. In combinationwith the excavator N, the adjustable plowshare Q, constructed substantially as described and shown', and` arranged to operate` as and for the purpose setforth; y

4. Inlcombination with the excavator N, the adjustable-colt-er It, constructed'substantially as described and shown, and arranged to operate as and for thefpurpos'e set forth.

5. The frame M, provided with the shield'sand rib ugconstructed substantially as described and shown, and arranged to operate as and for the purposev set 4 forth.

.6. In combination with the frame M`,Vpr'ovided with the "shield s and rib 1w, the slotted stud t, in connection witha suitable bolt, and the corresponding ser-4 rations of the offset plate fc', and ofthe sides ofthe l l framefM, constructed as described, and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

7 The combinationof the excavator-wheel Gand the adjustable frame M, provided withthe flanges K,

channel L, and ears fr, constructed substantially as describedl andshowmand arranged as' and for the d purpose setV forth.

" ,8. The arrangementiof the adjustable trimmingwheel S, rotating -upon a proper slotted standard,

constructed substantially as described and shown, and

as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The arrangement of the adjustable trimmingcolter P, constructed substantially as described and shown, and as and for the purposes set lforth.

10. The combination of the excavatorN with the trimming-wheel S, when constructed and arranged to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

' 11. The combination ofl the excmf'ator N with the trimming-Coker I?, when constructed as described, and arranged to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

` 12. The arrangement ofthe axle A, the yoke a,

vand the standard f, when constructed substantially as described and shown, andas and for the purposes set forth. Y

'13. The combination ofthe excavatonwheel G, the shaft e, the frame I), and the yokes E and F, when constructed as described and shown, and arrangui to operate as and for the purposes set forth.'

14. The arrangement of the traction-wheels B, the axle A, the yokes c and O, and the braces b, c, and d, when.constructed as described, andas and for the purpose set forth. f

15. The devices by which the draft is adjusted,

Yconsisting of the wingsj and u, provided with holes 

